Old blog repeated for the 2013 Melbourne Cup day!

A special local event – the 2011 Melbourne Cup is coming to Dargaville!
It therefore seems an appropriate time to post that Fran’s Grandfather, Wilfred Gatonby Stead actually won the Melbourne Cup in November 1916 with SASANOF.

Wilfred Gatonby Stead & Sasanof NZ Winner of 1916 Melbourne Cup

Sasanof, a small brown gelding, was purchased as a yearling from his New Zealand breeder, T.M. Wilford, for 400 guineas, and won most of the major races in New Zealand as well as the Melbourne Cup. Wilfred had a good friend who had been trying to win the cup for years and just before the race he sold him a 1/3 interest on the basis that he would buy the horse back if it did not win. They shared the 9,205 Pounds prize money – a huge sum back in 1916!